With a premise reminiscent of the cult-classic heist/coming-of-age film Baby Driver, Klik Klik Boom features a young woman who dresses like she “raided Lady GAGA’s closet” and gets mistaken for Elton John while armed. I appreciate Matt Wilson’s soft color work in this book, especially since it was released during Pride Month. As a heterosexual man, I can say that this Image presentation isn’t as heavy-handed as some other books with LGBTQ central characters (especially in the Big Two), which may alienate readers like myself or those who assume the book is targeted towards a specific sexual orientation.
I don’t know Doug Wagner’s sexual identity, nor do I need to know to enjoy this book. That’s what matters to me in 2023. Wagner’s take, though reminiscent of Baby Driver, flips the script by making the protagonist a female instead of male, and mute instead of deaf. Some Dog Day Afternoon and Reservoir Dogs shenanigans occur, involving a struggling journalist named Deb Donovan, who becomes entangled in a pharmaceutical company conspiracy. It’s as captivating as my first encounter with Veidt Industries.
The main character possesses a lovable innocence, even as she retaliates against sexual assault, pulls the trigger on a senior citizen, and harasses a little girl during her birthday dinner. I applaud Doug Dabbs’ design for tapping into the fact that Western society often roots for villains as long as they possess a certain level of physical attractiveness. Given Wagner’s protagonist’s actions in just the first issue, Dabbs has undoubtedly crafted a stunning character who will dominate cosplay competitions for decades to come.
Between Local Man, Something Epic, and the recently concluded Giant Kokju, Image is having a remarkable run in 2023, surpassing all other weekly comic book releases. And with Wagner’s Klik Klik Boom, Image shows no signs of dropping the ball anytime soon.
Score:
4/5
(W) Doug Wagner (A/CA) Douglas Dabbs, Matt Wilson
by
C.V.R. The Bard
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